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Former Gator Tre Mann, the No. 18 pick of the 2021 NBA Draft by the Oklahoma City Thunder, was traded to the Charlotte Hornets as part of the package for Gordon Hayward during the NBA’s trade deadline Thursday.
https://twitter.com/tre2mann3/status/1755703228245696919
Promising Rise
Coming out of the University of Florida, Mann averaged 16.0 points per game, with 5.6 rebounds and shooting 45% from beyond the arc in his second season with the Gators. Mann made himself a fan favorite at Florida in his two season’s and throughout tournament play in 2021.
Mann averaged 20.9 points over his last seven games, leading the Gators to the second round of both the SEC and NCAA tournaments. He earned SEC player of the week once and finished eight in scoring and sixth in assist average in the conference.
Early NBA Career
Mann earned McDonalds All-American Honors in high school and then All-Southeastern Conference honors in Florida. He entered the draft after his sophomore year and landed in Oklahoma City in the middle of a rebuild.
In his first two years, Mann was a solid rotational piece for the Thunder coming off the bench averaging 9.05 points per game and 1.65 assists per game. In his third year, the Thunder have turned it around quickly and are tied for first place in the Western Conference.
With the rise of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and other guards like Josh Giddey, Mann found himself in a crowded guard room and out of the rotation, only appearing in 13 games this season.
What’s Next
In Charlotte, Mann has a good opportunity to see more playing time. Unlike the Thunder, the Hornets are towards the bottom of the Eastern Conference and in the middle of another bad season.
Opposite of LaMelo Ball, the guard room in Charlotte consists of Ish Smith and Seth Curry, who was another trade deadline acquisition, among others.
Mann brings good competition to the team and can provide a boost, with a chance to reach his potential.
Hornets Fans, Allow me to Introduce you to Tre Mann pic.twitter.com/JuAEeOqD0x
— TheLAOverloaded (@iBeatBookies_) February 8, 2024
